PUC Announces Appointments to Consumer Advisory Council
Published on 7/10/2025
Filed under: Consumer Education Electric Gas Telecommunications Water and Wastewater
The Council Advises PUC Commissioners on Matters Related to the Protection of Consumer Interests Under PUC Jurisdiction
HARRISBURG - The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today announced a series of appointments to its Consumer Advisory Council (CAC), which provides input to the PUC on issues important to utility customers. Today's appointees will serve on the CAC through June 30, 2027.
The Commission appointed the following CAC "at-large" members:
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Sonny Popowsky, of Philadelphia, was the former Pennsylvania Consumer Advocate (serving from 1990 to 2012) and is regarded nationally as an expert on state and national consumer and utility issues. He was first appointed to the CAC by Gov. Tom Wolf. He currently serves as a member of the Advisory Board of the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy of the University of Pennsylvania.
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Autumn Thomas, of Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County, is retired from a long career with the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association and earned degrees from Allegheny College and Penn State University. She also is a member of AARP-PA's Consumer Issues Task Force, which is focused on protecting seniors from financial exploitation and consumer fraud prevention education and advocacy.
The following appointments from state executive offices and legislators were ratified by the PUC:
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Patrick M. Cicero, of Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County, a former member and Chairman of the CAC, was appointed by Gov. Josh Shapiro. He serves in an Of Counsel position with the Pennsylvania Utility Law Project (PULP), a specialized legal aid office that provides advocacy, training, and legal representation on energy and utility matters affecting low-income Pennsylvanians. He also worked at PULP as the former Executive Director before serving as Pennsylvania's Consumer Advocate. Cicero also led the Consumer Unit at MidPenn Legal Services and served as the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (PLAN).
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Chad J. Quinn, of Pittsburgh, was appointed by Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, and serves as Chief Executive Officer of Pittsburgh-based Dollar Energy Fund, which works to improve the quality of life for households experiencing hardships by providing utility assistance and other services that lead to self-sufficiency.
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Charles L. Lanier, of Philadelphia, was appointed by Rep. Danilo Burgos, Majority Chairman of the House Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities Committee. He retired from the Philadelphia Housing Authority in 2012 and previously served in counseling and leadership positions with the Philadelphia Housing Development Corp., the Urban League of Philadelphia, and the Uptown Cultural District Group for the Black United Fund, under contract with the Philadelphia Empowerment Zone.
Additionally, the PUC appointed or reappointed the following "at-large" CAC members:
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Mary Bach, of Murrysville, Westmoreland County, is a long-time independent consumer advocate who often is interviewed by the media on scams and other issues. A former high school teacher, she is the volunteer chair of AARP's Pennsylvania Consumer Issues Task Force and has long been a strong voice for consumers across Pennsylvania.
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Lenora M. Best, of Lower Paxton Township, Dauphin County, has an extensive background in consumer protection policy. A retired manager with the PUC's Bureau of Consumer Services (BCS), she previously served on the PA Relay Service Advisory Board and has decades of experience working with utility and consumer organizations.
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Elizabeth "Liz" R. Marx, of Harrisburg, is Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Utility Law Project (PULP) - which provides information, assistance and advice about residential utility and energy matters affecting low-income consumers. Prior to joining PULP, Marx worked as a staff attorney at the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence. A graduate of Temple University and the Widener School of Law, Marx currently chairs Pennsylvania's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Advisory Committee and serves on a statewide Weatherization Assistance Program Policy Advisory Committee.
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Theresa D. Mingarell, Camp Hill, Cumberland County, has a history of involvement with consumer issues, including her 10 years as a policy analyst in the PUC's BCS before her retirement in December 2022. Prior to joining the PUC, Mingarell worked as a human services program specialist and income maintenance caseworker with Pennsylvania's Department of Public Welfare.
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Sylvia P. Simms, of Philadelphia, is an advocate for high-quality education - especially in low-income neighborhoods. Simms is the founder of PARENT POWER, a training program to get families more involved in their children's education and has been involved with community improvement efforts for more than a decade. She also works as a housing support coach for SELF Inc. - a human services agency providing emergency and support services for Philadelphia's most vulnerable communities.
The Consumer Advisory Council advises the PUC Commissioners on matters related to the protection of consumer interests under the jurisdiction of the PUC. Council meetings are held bimonthly and are open to the public. Members serve without compensation.
About the PUC
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission balances the needs of consumers and utilities; ensures safe and reliable utility service at reasonable rates; protects the public interest; educates consumers to make independent and informed utility choices; furthers economic development; and fosters new technologies and competitive markets in an environmentally sound manner.
Visit the PUC's website at puc.pa.gov for recent news releases and video of select proceedings. You can also follow us on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. Search for the "Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission" or "PA PUC" on your favorite social media channel for updates on utility issues and other helpful consumer information.
Docket Number M-2025-3056098
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